Reborn
by Ranowa Hikura
Summary: AU, Sora/Layla, not romantic. A bitter and sarcastic Sora joins Kaleido Stage for the money to help her mother get surgery. Can Layla awaken the Sora we all know and love or will she remain lost?
1. Chapter 1

I apologize... this isn't my Broken Stars sequel. I really have no idea when I will be able to get that up- I'm so sorry, but I was watching the first season of Kaleido Star again and couldn't help but get inspired. BUT, on the upside, this story is already complete, so no long waits for updates. I will be updating once every two days, for all nine chapters. ANYWAYS...

AU- Sora will seem OOC at first but don't worry, she will end up as the Sora we all know and love. She's 16 still, trying to work and go to school at the same time, because her mother is sick and needs surgery, but she and her father can't afford it. Yes, these are still her adopted parents. Sora/Layla, not romantically, just friendship. SOOO... enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

"Sora," her teacher said sharply as the rest of the students rushed outside, "This is the third time this week you have fallen asleep in class. If this becomes a pattern, I will have to contact your parents."

Sora nodded as she leaned back against the wall and glanced at her watch. If this idiot kept on lecturing on trivial things that truly did not matter, she would be late and miss rush hour. She had to get downtown quickly, because street performers didn't get money in the middle of the night, they got money when there was traffic. And besides, she only had two hours before her shift at the restaurant started, and then she had to get down to the gas station and work yet another minimum wage job. With just enough time left in the day to grab a few hours sleep in her mother's hospital room before heading off to school in the morning.

Personally, Sora thought that school was an absolute waste of time; that was eight hours doing nothing that could be spent working! But her parents were adamant; she couldn't drop out. Even her mother had gotten riled up when Sora had mentioned it; and, nowadays, Midori was normally too tired to do much of anything but lie in bed. The cancer treatments were really taking a lot out of her.

"Sora!" Her teacher exclaimed. "Are you even listening to me?"

She forced a smile and bowed slightly. "Yes, sensei." She had learned long ago that unless she smiled sweetly and nodded at them and did things their way, she would just be kept back at school longer.

He frowned before waving her off. "Go on, get out of here. And come to school tomorrow _awake_."

Relieved, Sora nodded again before dashing out of the room, her backpack slung over one shoulder. Thankfully, she hadn't been held back for too long, she could make it in time to street perform for the crowds and get a little money.

Sora hated performing, she really did. She hated doing anything in front of crowds, she hated gymnastics, she hated the risks it entailed, and she especially hated running over to her next job, already exhausted and with only ten or twenty dollars to show for it. But she had taken gymnastics as a little girl and had retained a natural talent, and it gave her an instant paycheck- plus, she could do it just about anywhere, so she hadn't bothered complaining and had just gotten to it. Her father pretended not to know, but he never said anything about it- after all, he worked his own job all day before going down to the hospital with his wife. His one job paid just as much as Sora's three, and they still weren't covering the medical costs.

Shaking her head as she jogged around the corner, Sora forced herself to smile and ignore her exhaustion. She had to be energetic and draw in crowds, no matter how much she hated it, or they wouldn't give her money.

Without anytime to practice, Sora was often forced into doing one of two routines, both of which were relatively safe and simple, but the people seemed to love them. She flipped and danced and, all the way, smiled at them. If there was a guy watching her hungrily, she'd occasionally gave him a kiss on the cheek and would get a twenty for her troubles. And then, sometimes a kid from school would walk by, and they would never pay her anything, just watch her in amazement before shaking their heads- just another weird attribute of the weirdest kid in school. Ever since her mother had gotten sick last year, Sora had been too distracted to talk or smile at the kids who's problems were so minor compared to hers and eventually lost all of her friends. Now she was just the kid who slept in the back of the class and ate lunch alone.

"Thank you, thank you!" she called out, trying to sound cheerful as the couple who'd just dropped some money in her open backpack and walked away. "Come again!"

Finally, when it was time for her to start her shift at the diner, Sora came to a rest, breathing hard as she counted today's profit. When she had reached the final figure- 132 bucks- she couldn't hold back a small, proud smile. 132 dollars for two hours work. Her happiness faded slightly as she remembered the staggering total that they still owed for her mother's medical bills, but she forced herself to shake her head as she pulled a sports jacket on over her leotard. That amount was now 132 dollars less.

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Sora sighed miserably as she made her way through the restaurant, carrying plates of food and drinks with sore, trembling arms and forcing herself to smile once again. _Come on, Sora, Labor Day's coming up. You can rest then. You have to keep working tonight._

"My name's Sora, and I'm going to be taking care of you this evening, can I start you off with something to drink?" she asked brightly, looking down at the happy family and feeling like she wanted to burst into tears. A husband and wife and their son. Sora's family had once done things like this; they had once been normal. But ever since her mom got sick, everything went to hell.

_No,_ she thought as she shook her head. Her mother was going to get better, and then they'd be like this again. That had to happen.

As Sora was cleaning up one of her tables, she heard the couple next to her talking about someone in a magazine. "Hey, look at this," one of them said, "it's an article about that performer in America- Layla Hamilton. It says here that she's a millionaire, just from performing on the stage."

"Oh, some people get it all," the other one scoffed. "Look at her. She's gorgeous, her father's rich, and she's earning millions of dollars by putting on a little show for some people."

"Hey, Kaleido Stage isn't little! You know that guy you were obsessed with last year, Yuri Killian? He works there too- almost as rich as Layla Hamilton is."

"Whatever. Come on, let's go home, I'm sure our son has made the house a wreck by now."

Sora watched as the couple stood up and left, leaving behind their magazine. She walked over and picked it up, staring at the blonde featured on the front cover.

It wasn't fair. Here she was, working three jobs and practically begging for the money to keep her mom alive and healthy, and this Layla Hamilton was a rich celebrity who had enough to money to care for Sora's mother and still live in a mansion for the rest of her life. Why couldn't she ever catch a break like that for once?

Shaking her head bitterly, she turned the page and started the article.

_When I asked how well a job at Kaleido Stage pays, Layla said it depended on the performer's skill level. The average performer, she says, earns about 20,000 dollars per year. _

The article went on, but Sora was still staring at how much money she could get for working at Kaleido Stage. That was enough money to take care of her family, just for 'putting on a little show for some people', as the guy before had said.

The article was both something to show off Layla and attract more people to joining Kaleido Stage, so it went on to say, _There is no age limit on joining, though you have go through a rigorous audition. Only the best of the best are accepted. Auditions are held twice a year at Kaleido Stage, in Cape Mary, California, and are judged by not only the investors in Kaleido Stage but by the top stars themselves, Layla Hamilton and Yuri Killian! There is an audition to Kaleido Stage in just one week- come one, come all to-_

"Sora!"

Startled, Sora dropped the magazine and turned to her manager, who was standing behind her and shaking his head unhappily. "I did not hire you to read magazines, I hired you to wait tables. Now get to it or you're fired!"

Nodding as she frantically apologized and hurried back to her job, Sora tried to immerse herself in work again, but all she could think about was that wonderful job in California. She could work for a couple years, help pay off the medical bills, and when her mother was better again se could come home. The only risk involved was the expensive flight to America- if she wasn't accepted into Kaleido Stage, then that would be several hundred dollars, wasted.

No, this was all just a hopeless dream, an easy way out. Sora had to just focus on working hard here in Japan. Going to America wouldn't pay off and, in the end, it would only make things harder for the family.

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When Sora had finally stumbled from her last job at the gas station at nearly five past midnight, she grinned weakly at the idling car waiting for her. "Hey, Dad," she said as she climbed in the passenger seat. "I had a good day. Over a hundred bucks on the street. Can't wait to tell Mom; she could sure use some good news."

Her father started driving and smiled at her tiredly. "Sorry, kiddo, but... your mother took a turn for the worse. The doctor's aren't letting anyone see her tonight."

Sora looked up at him in alarm, her previous exhaustion blown away by this new development. "What?" she gasped. "Why? Is she okay?"

He shrugged helplessly. "She had another seizure... the doctor said that she'll probably be all right, but he wouldn't let me stay with her. I wasn't to make you walk home in the middle of the night and I knew you needed a ride, so I came by here."

"I have to go to the hospital, Dad," she said quickly, knowing what he was thinking. I want to be with my mom."

"Sora," he said gently, "they won't let us in her room. I'm taking you home, so you can sleep on a bed instead of a chair for at least one night."

"Dad-" she tried to protest, but he just shook his head at her.

"Sora, you've got to get some sleep. I'll take you over to the hospital tomorrow morning, and we can see Midori together." Sora sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the cool car window and trying to sleep.

Another seizure. She knew what that meant. More hospital procedures, more tests, more bills. And for her mother? More time trapped in the hospital, more pain, more guilt at the fact that Sora was working three jobs to support her, no matter how many times Sora assured her it was no big deal.

That job as a performer in America certainly would be good... but not enough. Their bills were too much to be paid off by just twenty thousand dollars- then again, that was still more money than she was making now. Maybe she could go to America and escape this hell of a life she lived now.

But not now. Not when Mom was getting sicker. After the doctors had stabilized her condition, maybe she could ask her parents about it.

God, she couldn't believe this was happening. Her parents had died when she was only three, but then Midori and Haru had taken her in and cared for her. Now, Midori was sick with cancer and had been for a year. By working as hard as they could, Sora and Haru could keep up enough money for the chemo therapy that was keeping her alive, but they simply couldn't afford the surgery that would rid her body of the poisonous invader permanently. Her father had done the math- it would total over one hundred thousand dollars. They simply couldn't afford it, no matter how guilty they felt when they saw Midori dead sick from the cancer treatments or how horrible her parents felt when they saw Sora working three jobs.

But none of that mattered. They were stuck in this horrible situation whether they liked it or not and they loved each other. They were going to stick through it and get Midori healthy again.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Now, be gentle with her," the doctor said as Sora and her father stood outside Midori's room. "She's still weak- well, weaker than usual. We stabilized her condition and she's still hanging on, but, as I've said before, if you want her to make a permanent recovery, she needs surgery."

Sora and her father both nodded before slipping quietly into the hospital room. Midori had been sick for a while now, but neither one of them got used to seeing her like this- so pale and weak, always tired, coughing fits and tiny grins of assurance as Sora and her father held her cold hands, the most comfort they could give, in their current positions.

"Hi, Mom," Sora said in a small voice as she followed her father into the hospital. "How are you today?"

"Sora," Midori said softly, smiling at her. "Haru." She beckoned them closer. "Come over here." They followed her request, Sora sitting in the visitor's chair while her father sat next to his wife on her bed. "My beautiful, brave daughter and her father," she said before coughing slightly. "I'm so lucky to have you both here."

"Mom, guess what? I made over a hundred dollars yesterday! We're still saving up for your surgery, I promise," Sora said in a broken voice.

"Yeah, we are," Haru added on after her. "You're not going to be in here that much longer. We're going to get you better."

She smiled slightly and shook her head. "I... I know we don't have that much money- certainly not enough for the surgery. I know you guys are working really hard... I can't possibly thank you enough for that."

Haru and Sora both shook their heads immediately. Squeezing his wife's hand, Haru said firmly, "You don't have to thank us, Midori. We love you, and if this is what it takes to keep you alive, then of course we'll do it."

"And you both took me in after my parents died," Sora said after him. "You didn't have to do that, and yet you did- probably saved my life. How can I not save yours now? I- no, _we_ love you and we're not going to leave you alone now."

Midori smiled weakly at them, but she was still exhausted from last night, so it wasn't long before she went to sleep, Haru still holding her hand. It was then that Sora looked up at him and asked quietly, "Dad?"

He glanced over at her and smiled slightly to ler her know he was listening. Taking a deep breath, Sora continued softly so as not to wake her mother, "Dad, I heard about a job in America that I could get. Twenty grand per year- that's twice as what I'm pulling I'm now, and I could probably get another part-time job over there as well. I'm qualified, too. All we'd have to do is buy a plane ticket and then I could start sending back paychecks to help Mom."

Of course, despite the desperate situation, her father wasn't too accepting of the idea of sending his sixteen year old daughter thousands of miles away to get a job. "Sora, what kind of job is this? It sounds like a scam."

She shook her head quickly and said, "No, it's not a scam, Dad- have you ever heard of Kaleido Stage? It's an American company; you can get paid a lot of money for doing things like I do as a street performer."

"But, Sora, you told me that you hate performing. Why would you want you to make a living out of it?"

"Because Mom's sick! She needs that surgery and we can't pull enough money for it this way. I graduate high school in two years; that's too long to wait for me to get another job. But I looked some information about this place up online at my third job- Dad, they pay for your room and board if you make it in. They pay for everything. And I could get a part-time job, too- we could afford to get her this surgery. And then, once she's better, I could come home to Japan- please, Dad! Mom's just getting sicker and sicker and sicker without the surgery. And while I wouldn't like performing- that doesn't matter. I have to help Mom get better."

Haru shook his head. "Sora, this isn't your responsibility. We'll figure something out, you don't have to go thousands of miles away to some job you would hate just so-"

"Dad, we had this discussion when I got my first job. And then my second job. And now, I'm wanting to do something that has a chance at getting Mom out of the hospital- we have to try!"

During their discussion, their voices had slowly gotten louder until they started to disturb Midori. The woman moaned softly in her medicated sleep and started tossing and turning. "Haru," she mumbled, still unconscious. "Sora. So sorry. So sorry."

Wincing guiltily, Sora looked away while her father murmured in Midori's ear, "Shh. Shh. Go back to sleep, everything's okay. Shh." Midori settled own, falling back into her dreamless sleep, and Haru stood up and beckoned for Sora to follow him. Once outside, he turned to her and said, "Sora, you can't do this. Your mother, did you think of what it would do to her to have you so far away- or me? And it's not-"

"Dad, please! I know it'd be hard on both of you, but this could get Mom better! With the money I earned today and, if I work extra hard this weekend, I could afford a plane ticket... please. Mom needs to get better, and I could pay for her surgery. I could get her out of the hospital. Please, Dad. You have to let me do this... please."

Her father hesitated, but the desperate times called for desperate measures. Finally, he sighed and said, "At least wait three days to think this over. And, if you still feel this way then... you can go to America."

Sora's eyes widened in shock before she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Dad! Thank you so much... I promise I'll get Mom better. I promise."

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It was the day before her plane trip. Sora had worked as hard as she could and bought the ticket for America... and still hadn't told her mother. She hadn't been able to. Her mom had been getting steadily better ever since the scare with her seizure- telling her this could only worsen her condition.

But Sora's plane left early Tuesday morning, and it was midnight Monday night. She had to tell her.

Her father nodded in support as Sora sat next to her mom and clasped her cold, boney hand gently. "Mom... Mom, I have something to tell you."

Midori smiled weakly at her and said, "Anything for my amazing daughter."

"It's- well, it's not going to be easy for you to hear, but... tomorrow, I'm going to get a job in America. It's a good job. Pays well. Would get you better real quick..."

"Sora! Sora- America? No, no, I can't let you do this for me! Things are okay as they are, Sora, I can't... I c-can't make you g-go..." she started to pant as she descended into a coughing fit, and Sora rubbed her shoulder, trying to soothe her.

"It's okay, Mom, shh. Calm down. Calm down, Mom, it's okay."

When Midori could breathe again, the woman gasped, "Sora... no... don't..."

"Mom, I have to. I'll be okay, and then when your healthy again, I'll come home. I love you so much, Mom, that's why I have to do this."

Midori shook her head as she grasped Sora's hand tightly and tried to talk her out of it. "No, Sora- so far away... not safe... stay here..."

Sora was crying as she shook her head and promised, "Mom, I swear, I'll be safe and I'll come home once you're better. I'm so sorry. I love you."

"No! No, Sora, you can't!"

"Please, Mom," Sora begged, "please, can't you see, you'd get better this way! We could afford your surgery and then everything would be okay again! Then I could come home and finish school and come home to you and Dad and..." Both women were crying now, Sora shaking her head as she tried to get her mother to understand this was the only way. "Please. It's a good job, it's safe. I'll think about you all the time and call you every day, I promise."

Midori was on many medications and drifted in and out quite often, and it was when she was falling asleep again that she begged, "Sora... no... don't go."

Sora hung her head and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Mom. So sorry." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook her head back and forth, trying to regain her composure. She climbed into the hospital bed next to her mother and curled up against her side, like she had done many times when she was a child and had been sick or unable to sleep. Sora closed her eyes tightly and sobbed into Midori's neck, crying herself into an exhausted sleep. Her father stood up and pulled the blanket over his daughter and his wife, shaking his head miserably. He was about to lose half his family to save the other… they had done too good a job raising Sora. The brave, selfless girl was about to give up everything she had ever known to go to a new, dangerous world, to work hard and save her mother more years of this hell. It wasn't fair that she had to do this; that she had to work harder than she already was.

But life wasn't fair, or Midori wouldn't be in this hospital bed.

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She felt her father's hand on her shoulder as he said softly, "Come on, Sora. I'll drive you to the airport."

Sora stood up shakily and stumbled forward, leaning down to embrace her sleeping mother. "I

love you," she whispered before allowing herself to be torn away, her father leading her outside.

Her small collections of things to take to California had already been packed and was waiting in her father's car. She cried all the way to the airport, staring out the window and getting her last view of Japan. She was leaving the only home she had ever had, the only family she hadn't lost, to go to a scary new world... but it was necessary. It would get her mother better.

By the time they had pulled up in front of the airport, Sora had run out of tears. She turned to look at her father, who immediately stepped out of the car and grabbed her suitcase for her. "Let me walk you inside," he said softly before holding out his hand. Sora nodded and rested her hand against his, allowing him to take it and lead her inside.

He went with her as far as he could, but, finally, they had to say goodbye. Sora looked up at him, her big brown eyes shining with tears, trembling so much her father had to steady her by holding her shoulders. "Sora," he said softly, "you go to America and make your family proud. Just remember the whole time that you're over there that it's to make your mother better, and if you want to quit at any time and come home to us, you can."

She nodded, then forced herself to smile and said, "I'm not going to quit. I'm going to make enough money to make Mom better. I promise."

"Oh, Sora..." Her father pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her forehead. "You are just like your father."

Sora shrugged and said, "You're both my father. My first one's dead, but just because we're not biologically related doesn't mean we're not family... I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Sora." He squeezed her gently before releasing her and giving her a half-hearted wave. "Go kick some American ass for us."

She nodded slightly and smiled at him before turning to board the plane to Kaleido Stage. Her father kept waving until she was out of sight, and Sora tried to keep her composure as wrapped her arms around herself and stumbled away from Japan, her home. Her family... all gone.

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	3. Chapter 3

Well, I have officially begun writing my Broken Stars sequel, but it could be months before it gets posted- I'm currently in two AP classes, which wouldn't be such a big deal but one of them, I have to teach to myself in my own time, and it just happens to be one of the hardest courses- AP chemistry. So that takes first priority. Yes, even during fall and winter break and all things like that… sorry.

**Chapter 3**

Sora walked into the audition room at Kaleido Stage, keeping her head down. She was out of her element here and she knew it. These were rich, spoiled brats- put any one of them in her situation for a week and they wouldn't make it a day... Sora did not belong here.

But she had to be here. She had to help her mother. That was why she was here- not because she actually wanted to be a member of Kaleido Stage.

Sora sighed as she lowered her body into a chair after registering for the audition. She had been in America for the past week and had already gotten a job as a waitress at night, though she still street performed during the day. The pay wasn't as good as it was in Japan, but it helped her practice the audition- she was certainly more prepared then these rich kids who had had everything in life handed to them on a silver platter. The sad fact of the matter was, working until from noon to seven at night would exhaust most of these kids. For Sora, it was like a vacation from working 18 hour days with no breaks.

Everyone was fidgeting nervously, clearly terrified- Sora recognized the behavior from what she had been like herself when her mother had been in the ER, just several days before that horrifying diagnosis of cancer. But what did this stupid kids have to be scared of? Rejection? Ha. They could fail to get into Kaleido Stage and just go back home to their mommies and daddies. If Sora didn't get in, she might not have a mother to return home _to._

When the judges entered the room, there was a hush from the frantic whispers before they started up again, this time, discussing the two at the head of the pack. Sora listened to the gossip and shook her head.

"Can you believe it? It's Layla Hamilton and Yuri Killian!"

"Oh my god! Look at them, it's really them- oh my god, they're actually going to see us perform!"

"This is amazing! Oh no, I'm so nervous..."

Sora just shook her head again. If she was going to be judged by someone who wasn't one of these rich actors with millions who only wanted more money, she would be anxious. But this Layla, she was nobody. Just another rich person Sora was going to have to suck up to to get the money for her mother's surgery. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, her glare burning into the back of Layla's skull. All she was asking for was just enough money to help her mother get better. Layla Hamilton had more than enough to give her the money she needed and still live in a mansion without ever working for the rest of her life. It wasn't god damn fair.

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"Three more girls left," Kalos announced with a tired sigh. "First up: Anna Heart. In or out?'

Layla hesitated before nodding. "Energetic, yet sloppy. But she did have some skill."

"Yes, she did. If we let her in, we could touch her skills up and she could be quite a good performer someday."

Layla nodded at Yuri before glancing back at Kalos as she said, "Let her in. Who's next?"

Kalos glanced at the clipboard before sighing. "Mia Gulliam. The redhead."

"Ah," Layla sighed in disappointment. "That one. I wasn't particularly impressed. Hers was good, yet unconfident. Though her routine was certainly original and well-thought out, she wasn't certain of her abilities. That is not something Kaleido Stage can just teach."

"But," Yuri raised a finger, "perhaps she could learn. I say we let her in and give her a few months worth of lessons- I think her skill with choreography should, at least, but explored. Perhaps, once we have taught her a few things, we see what kind of routines she comes up with."

"All right, she's in. The last contestant- Sora Naegino. What did you think of her?"

Both Layla and Yuri sighed in distaste. "Oh, she was the best girl we saw today, but I don't think letting her in would be a good idea."

Yuri agreed with her. "Yes, her routine had a few technical errors that were probably a result of no formal training, but it was flawless. She's skilled, energetic- but too confident. Did you see her walk out there? Not nervous at all. If a performance means anything at all to you, it should make you nervous- she doesn't care about the outcome of this audition."

"More than that, though- when we told her good job, she wasn't surprised, like the others. It was like she expected our praise. I don't want someone that cocky at Kaleido Stage," Layla said firmly, then added on, "And her routine? It wasn't put together to show off her skills, it was just a flashy show. She's a crowd pleaser and likes the attention it gets her."

Kalos cut in and shook his head. "No, that's not quite right. I agree, that's what her routine was for, but did you see her when she was walking off stage? She was smiling during her routine, but it was like a professional's- she wasn't happy and she doesn't enjoy it, she hated performing. And when she saw the crowd of people watching her, she seemed a little nervous- I really don't think she likes the attention her skills get her."

"So there's no place for her here," Layla said coldly. "Turn her down."

"I don't know, Layla... she does have skill. And did you see how envious the other hopefuls were of her performance? While the girl may not be a good addition to Kaleido Stage, we could use her to entice the others to work harder," Yuri said thoughtfully, watching her- everyone here knew that if Layla didn't like a performer, then that performer was out.

Layla hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. So long as she never appears on Kaleido Stage, that's fine. But I want her out of here as soon as possible."

Kalos nodded too. "It's settled, then. I'll give the list to Ken and then we can drive back over to the production meeting."

"No, you two go ahead. I have something to do," Layla said softly. Yuri and Kalos momentarily exchanged a confused glance before shrugging and standing up to leave without her.

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When the blond boy- Sora had already forgotten who he was- called out her name, Sora sighed in relief. The others who had been accepted had practically started screaming, but Sora knew what this was. Yes, she was going to help her mother get better... but this also meant she was going to be miserable, working as a performer for the next year or so, that she would be forced to do something she hated for so long... she didn't want to do this. Just because she was trying to be strong didn't mean she didn't have the desire to just lay back and relax for one second, like most kids were allowed to do.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Sora stood up and started to leave as a cool voice rang out. "Sora Naegino! Stay behind for a second. I wish to speak with you. Everybody else, you can leave."

Everyone, both the thrilled new cast members and the devastated ones who were rejected, stopped talking and turned to look at the woman who had spoken. It was the rich woman Sora hated, the one the article had been about- Layla Hamilton.

Squaring her shoulders, Sora turned to face her, her head held high. _Don't be intimidated by her. You're better than her. She's been through nothing; doesn't even know the meaning of pain. Stay strong, Sora._

The people leaving stared at her enviously and, if she wasn't mistaken, there was a hint of animosity in their gazes, but she couldn't think about that now. "Yes?" she asked coldly, watching as Layla walked closer to her.

"I want to make one thing very clear, Sora Naegino. You were accepted to Kaleido Stage to make the others want to become better than you, not because you belong on this stage. I do not acknowledge your presence here and you will never appear on the same stage as me."

Despite the fact that Sora had absolutely no aspirations to appear on stage whatsoever, especially with this icy blonde, she was unable to tamp down the tiny flame of anger that her words ignited. _Who is she to say these things to me? She is a nothing. A face on a magazine. I am not a tool and I won't let this stuck-up, pretentious bitch turn me into one. _

But Sora's furious response wouldn't come out, because she was too worried. She had to suck up to this Layla or her mother wouldn't get better.

So she forced a small smile and nodded. "I understand, Layla-san," she said softly, clenching her hands into fists and hiding them behind her back. "May I go now?"

Layla's eyes widened in surprise- clearly, she had expected more opposition. She frowned before nodding and turning her back on Sora.

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Sora walked into her room slowly, dragging her feet. Double shift at the restaurant again, for the seventh day in a row. Her first night not in a shelter- now she was living at Kaleido Stage.

She stumbled into her room at about half an hour before midnight, intending to grab a couple hours sleep, but she found a small, weird looking doll lying on the pillow. She examined it for a moment before rolling her eyes and muttering under her breath, "Stupid Americans," and picked it up, tossing it to the side.

The doll started floating back over to her and announced, "I am Fool, Spirit of the Stage."

Sora screamed, jumping back and crouching on the bed, flattening herself back against the wall. "What the hell?" she shouted.

The weird floating thing groaned and said, "Why is it that everybody tears me like a throwable ghost? Am I really that scary?" Sora had simply no idea how to respond to that; she kept herself as far away from the weird thing as possible and watching him with wide, frightened eyes. "Fine, I suppose I am. But you could at least say something nice. Anyways, I am Fool, Spirit of the Stage. Only those chose to perform on stage can see me- which means that you-"

"No!" Sora exclaimed, forcing a laugh and rubbing her eyes, trying to make the hallucination disappear. "No, see, that's proof you are just a figment of my imagination, because I _hate_ performing. I wasn't chosen for the stage. Oh my god, I'm talking back to it. Okay, I'm going to sleep. I'm just tired. That's all, I'm just tired!" She laughed nervously, and when the flying _thing_ started trying to talk to her, she shook her head and grabbed the phone, dialing a very familiar long distance number and trying to ignore the doll.

"Hello?" A quiet voice answered, and Sora couldn't hold back a wide, proud smile when she answered.

"Hey, Dad, it's Sora. I have some good news- I made it to Kaleido Stage! My first paycheck will

be on it's way to Japan by Monday- and yes, that includes my earning from my waitress job."

There was a shocked pause before Haru exclaimed, "Sora, that's wonderful! That's... god, that is possibly the best news I could get right now. Your mother will be so proud when I tell her."

"Yeah, are you with her now? I really want to talk to her."

Her dad sighed softly, and his hesitant reply told her something was wrong. "Well... no, Sora. Your mother got worse again... to tell you the truth, she's been sicker than usual this entire week. The doctor's aren't too worried, but I still haven't been allowed to see her more than twice."

"What?" she gasped, horrified. "But- what are you talking about, Dad, why didn't you tell me? She's okay, right?"

"Yes," he said sadly, "she's all right. You know how it is- she has a seizure, or heart rate gets too high or her blood pressure drops too low and the doctors immediately kick us out of her room. They've told me she'll be fine in a couple days- and I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to be distracted for the audition... because this is our last shot. I don't know how else we could make enough to get her the surgery."

Sora sighed, resting her chin on her knees and closing her eyes. "I'm sorry... I went to America to get money to help her, but she gets sick right after I leave. This is horrible." She would of continued on, but when she saw Fool hovering in her line of vision, she stammered, "Um, I'm so sorry, Dad, I really have to hang up right now, tell Mom I love her when you see her, all right? And I love you too."

Her dad sighed. "Of course. Love you."

When he hung up, Sora deliberately avoided looking at the strange hallucination and buried her head in the pillow. She was just tired. That's all.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

When Sora was forced into the lessons with these other rookies, she found that her hard work as a street performer really paid off. For one, she simply had more experience in performing, so while they struggled with simple maneuvers, Sora could be working on some more complex ones. And, she had endurance. She had performed nearly every day for almost two straight hours for a year. The others would be gasping for breath and struggling to swallow a gulp of water from trying to hold out longer than her, and there was Sora, still practicing like it was nothing.

And then, of course, there downsides. Sora had taught herself, so she hadn't learned some basic techniques and already had bad habits set in, so sometimes she had to work twice as hard as the others to perfect something... the _right_ way. Personally, Sora really didn't care, but these people were obsessed with it. Her coach treated his job as if it was a religion or something. Sora really wasn't sure if it was her exhaustion that made him seem like an annoying prick, but he made her furious every time we opened his mouth.

Her job at the restaurant was going absolutely perfect- there were more generous tippers in America. Well, that probably had something to do with the fact that it was a fancy restaurant with expensive patrons, but it made her happy to bring back a good paycheck ever day. She was a little worried, though- Sora worked at night and practiced at Kaleido Stage during the day. When she graduated to performing in shows, though, she wouldn't have time for her restaurant job.

Sora smiled slightly as she reached for the phone in her room. She'd think of something.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Um... excuse me..."

Sora sighed, fighting the urge to just continue with her practice before turning and practically snarling at the unfortunate observer, "What?"

The redhead girl flinched back, then said, "Well, I'm Mia- I just wanted to know how you got so good on the trampoline? We hardly ever see you practice on it, but you're the best out of all of us, and..." She trailed off as Sora continued to glare at her, and the temperature in the room must have dropped at least fifteen degrees when Sora's cold expression didn't falter.

_Maybe because, on the street, 'trampoline routines' are the only kinds possible, except you're jumping on cement instead of a nice, safe, bouncy surface. Maybe because I have to be perfect at this or Mom won't get better. Maybe because you're just annoying._

In the end, Sora surprised herself by going with the truth... well, part of it. "I used to do trampoline routines on the street. You have to use more forces in the jumps and you have to be careful because you're jumping above cement. Now leave me alone." She tensed and started to jump again, but Mia interrupted her again.

"Sora, wait!"

The high-pitched cry interrupted her attempt at focusing and she stumbled, missing the edge of the trampoline and bruising her leg against the side as she crashed to the floor, twisting her ankle. "Oh my god, Sora!" Mia gasped, hurrying forward in a panic, even as she waved her off.

"You idiot!" Sora shouted, allowing her temper, always so easy to ignite these days, just let loose. "This is all your fault!" She pushed Mia's helpful hand away and pulled herself up on the trampoline again.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Mia babbled. "Oh, Sora, your ankle- are you really sure you should be practicing when-"

"_Get out of here!_" Sora shouted at her, and the poor girl ran from the practice room, clearly terrified of the icy girl who, after three months at Kaleido Stage, had barely said two words to anyone.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath once Mia was gone. A twisted ankle was horrible. She couldn't carry all those plates at the restaurant and walk on one leg, and if the people at Kaleido Stage found out, they would make her take time off work. She couldn't do that.

Well, she had had plenty of injuries on the street. Casts and bandages had garnered sympathy from crowds on the street, though they really would be counterproductive here. But she could still practice. She'd once pulled off a routine with a broken ankle and a dislocated shoulder and brought in five hundred bucks. She could do this.

Sora began practicing again, but one reason she hated performing so much was that trampoline routines made her nauseous. She couldn't handle the disorientation brought on by the spins, they always gave her headaches, and, now that she was working on a trampoline, she discovered a newfound fear of heights. Her stomach would do flip-flops whenever she got too high.

Layla watched in surprise as the girl she hated so much began practicing, despite her recent injury. It was late, and all the trainees should be at the dining hall, and that was why she had come here- the rookies always flocked around her like a moth to a light, and Layla had just wanted to grab her jacket that she'd left her earlier. Then she'd saw Sora.

Unlike most early performers, she didn't have much trouble spinning in the air- that, she was good at. But she wasted the majority of her time in the air doing slow maneuvers- when she first jumped up she would look quite good, but then she would slow down, almost like she was

surprised she was still in the air and was expecting to hit the ground at any moment. Sora telling that other girl about street performing explained it- she had a lot more air time on a trampoline then she did on cement. More time to jump and spin that she wasn't used to. It also gave an explanation for why she always tried to put on a flashy ending but just ended up bouncing up again- you couldn't bounce on cement so Sora wasn't used to it.

But that wasn't what surprised her. It was the fact that it took hardly no effort to modify her routine for her injury. Most early performers would just give it a rest or would spend hours continuing to practice without changing anything because they weren't used to doing it differently. Sora was different from everybody else... why was that?

"Sora!" she shouted as the girl was in mid-air, and this time, she was able to adjust so she didn't fall. Sora turned around, then stiffened noticeably and crossed her arms when she saw her.

"Oh, it's you. Why are you here?" Sora snapped, turning to face her and standing on one leg.

"I think that's what I should be asking you. It's late and everyone else is eating right now. And practicing when you're injured is not a good idea."

Sora rolled her eyes and jumped to the ground, shaking her head. "I'm still in the dark about why you care. I thought you didn't acknowledge my presence here, which was fine with me. Now you're here, bothering me, asking me questions, and, overall, holding me up when I have to go to work."

"Work? You're already _at_ work."

"Not here!" Sora said as she walked over to where she had left her uniform for the restaurant and starting to get dressed over her leotard. "I work as a waitress downtown."

"Um, no, you don't. Performers at Kaleido Stage don't have two jobs, they have one job. It's actually in your contract that you're not allowed to work anywhere else while you're employed here. You don't have time to work and practice."

Sora just rolled her eyes and headed towards the door. "Yeah, whatever you say, Layla-_san_," she sneered. "But since you said I'll never appear on stage and I'm just here to make the others jealous, I don't see how me having a second job could screw up your plans."

"Well maybe I changed my mind about you appearing on stage!" Layla snapped, but Sora just shook her head.

"Really? See how much your opinion matters to me as I head on out of here and walk over to my second job."

Layla just shook her head as the stubborn girl headed outside into the cold winter air. She had been here for three months and was one of the best they had ever seen, for a newcomer. More then that, though. Occasionally, her coach had reported seeing her smile during her practices- a real one, not the one she had displayed for the judges in her audition, one to impress and not because she was actually enjoying it. When she had first joined Kaleido Stage, her practice had been only on the trampoline, but now she had branched out more and seemed to actually have fun on the trapeze- but the moment she hit the floor or she realized anyone was watching, it was back to the icy girl who had terrified most everyone who dared come near her these past three months.

After a moment, she just sighed and headed over to get her jacket. Sora had asked a very good question- why did she care? Newcomers meant very little to her, especially this stubborn girl who thought she knew it all. Why was she so curious about Sora?

Perhaps it was the fact that nothing about her added up. She doesn't care that Layla won't allow her on stage but practices for hours longer than all the others each day. She appears to dislike performing but did it in her free time out on the street? And there was the fact that if most anyone dared even ask her a question, she either wouldn't reply or would just mumble something and walk away- there was something off about her.

Layla hesitated, then smiled slightly and nodded. They needed someone to play a scene with her in the next production- she could ask Kalos if Sora would work for the role. The role itself wasn't too difficult; Sora could surely handle it, and forcing her to perform in a production would both make the other newcomers jealous and hopefully provide some insight into the strange girl.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

Sora got back to Kaleido Stage late at night, as usual, intending to give her parents a call before going to bed while Fool tried to talk to her/peek at her in the shower. Since the spirit thing wasn't going away but there had been no other signs of insanity, Sora had decided she wasn't going crazy and would debate with it that she _wasn't_ chosen for the stage because she _hated_ the stage.

Sighing, she was about to open her door and head inside her room when someone asked timidly from behind her, "Um, Sora?"

She groaned loudly and turned around to see that annoying redhead from earlier- Mia. There was another girl behind her, who clearly didn't want to be there and was staring at Sora nervously. "Oh, you. What do you want?" she asked coolly, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently.

The other girl tried to run off, but Mia pulled her back and said anxiously, "I, uh, just wanted to apologize for hurting your foot earlier. I didn't mean to, and I wanted to make sure it was okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said shortly. "Had alot worse and still performed. Not a big deal."

She was just stepping inside when Mia said, "That's good... can Anna and I come in?"

Both Anna and Sora froze, Sora turning to stare at Mia in surprise. "Um... what?" she asked slowly, wondering why on earth Mia would be asking this. After all, it wasn't like she had come off as the most friendly person in the world these past few months.

Mia shrugged and said, "Well, I noticed that you weren't here for dinner and I feel bad about hurting your ankle earlier, so I could make you some ramen, if you want..."

Sora was about to blow her off, as usual, but then she hesitated.

Really, what could happen if she let Mia inside? Sora didn't like rich people who had it all or those lucky, innocent kids who had everything going for them but still found things to complain about, but... Mia was neither.

She had forced herself to be dead set against everybody else, wary of them all- just like back in Japan, after her mother had gotten sick. If people had found out she was working three jobs to support her family, social services wouldn't of let her help them anymore and her mother never would have had a chance of getting better. Now, in America, with only one job, there was little danger of that- but it was simply easier not to get close to anybody. That way, she wouldn't have to tell them any painful stories about her family, and it wouldn't hurt as much when she went home.

Well, it was looking like she was going to be here for a while. And really, what harm would there be in making a friend?

Sora smiled at Mia and still shocked Anna and allowed them to come inside.

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	5. Chapter 5

In this chapter, I'm beginning to set up a series of events towards a twist in the ending and the set up for the sequel. Yes, there will be a sequel. So don't think I'm just writing blind here.

**Chapter 5**

"Watch," Sarah said eagerly from their spot on the balcony, gesturing at Sora, who was climbing onto the trapeze as many of the newcomers watched enviously and in awe below.

Sora performed for her friends, unaware of both Sarah and Kalos watching from above. It appeared to them all that she was having fun with it, that it was making her happy. Her moves were lighter and more graceful than they had been when she had first come to Kaleido Stage; it seemed they weren't as forced, and her smiles came easier now. Ever since Anna and Mia had become friends with her, Sora had rapidly become more popular among the other newcomers, how often gathered to watch her practice, still in awe about how quickly she had managed to progress- it seemed that only Mia knew about her past as a street performer, and she, admittedly, knew very little.

"See, Kalos? It's just like I told you! If Layla's willing, then why not use Sora in the next production?"

Right after Sarah said this, however, the coach returned and called all the newcomers back into the other room to continue their lesson. The moment the door shut and Sora thought she was alone, she stopped waving and jumped off the trapeze, throwing it away from herself with an angry cry. Sarah blinked in surprise and took an involuntary step back while Kalos just watched impassively.

"Damn it," Sora muttered under her breath, still panting for breath. Those amateurs hadn't noticed any of her mistakes, but she had. And she had to absolutely perfect. She couldn't make any mistakes or the people in charge here would see would fire her and she couldn't get her mother better.

More then that, though- ever since she had become friends with Mia and Anna, these people gathered around her and expected her to perform. Now that she was friends with Anna and Mia- something she didn't regret- she couldn't just storm off, like usual. She had to give them what they expected... but it didn't change the fact that she hated it.

She hated that this place was changing her. She wasn't even supposed to be here. She was supposed to be home with her parents and just being a teenager- Sora didn't _want_ to thousands of miles away from them, doing aerobatic stunts that she hated, that meant nothing to her. They had to mean nothing to her, because she wouldn't be able to stay here once she'd earned enough money for her mom. Then she could go home.

Shaking her head, Sora jumped down to the ground and ran towards the door, trying not to think about that. She had an hour more of this and then an early shift at the restaurant tonight. No use thinking about things that were only a distraction.

"Wow... Anna and Mia didn't mention that," Sarah said in shock as she stared after Sora. "It's like two completely different people- one on the stage, one not."

Kalos watched as Sora disappeared, then nodded and said, "I will talk to Layla. She will partner with Sora in our next production."

"Kalos!" Sarah exclaimed. "Do you really think someone like that could handle being on stage? And with Layla- didn't she forbid Sora from ever appearing on stage? Because it seems she hasn't changed at all."

"She has. She just hasn't realized it yet."

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

"What?"

Both Layla and Sora exclaimed the same thing when Kalos told them that they were going to be partners in the next show. "Kalos!" Layla started, "No! I told you that I wasn't going to partner with her right away, that I was going to see how she turned out first!"

Sora turned to her in shock and gasped, "Wait, you _want_ to partner with me? _Why?_ What's wrong with everybody else at Kaleido Stage? Why can't you partner with them?" Sora wasn't sure why, but she felt sick to her stomach as soon as she said those words. What was wrong with her? She wasn't supposed to like Layla. Layla was just another one of those rich people who had too much luck. And Sora wasn't supposed to want to appear on stage anyway.

"Layla, it's one performance. If she doesn't work out, we can substitute someone else in her place. But, for now, you two are working together. Sora, of course, you can step down from the role. Layla, you are the main star- you can't step down. There is no one to take your place."

Layla turned to her and pierced her with a glare cold as ice. "You are not ready, Sora. Step down. You don't even want this role anyway."

Sora opened her mouth to agree with her, but... she couldn't do it.

Did she want to perform with this strange, mysterious woman who, even Sora couldn't help but be moved by her performances? Did she?

Sora looked between Layla's expectant gaze to Kalos, who was watching her expressionlessly. She took a deep breath, then said, "I won't step down. I'll try to perform with Layla."

Layla gasped, turning to face her, eyes wide. "What?" she exclaimed again- clearly, she had never considered the possibility of saying Sora saying yes.

Sora nodded and turned to face her as well. "You heard me, Layla. I'll do it."

Layla turned to Kalos again, trying to convince him that this was a horrible idea. "Kalos, you can't let this amateur appear on stage! She's nowhere near ready, and I will not take responsibility for the kind of performance I can produce with her!"

"You think the audience will accept that kind of excuse, Layla?" Kalos stood up and looked between the two performers in front of him. "You will perfect your scene together. Layla, I know you will never settle for disappointing the audience. Sora, I expect you to follow her lead." He handed them both the scripts, leaving Sora wondering what on earth she had just gotten herself into.

Layla shook her head before taking her script from Kalos and whirling to face Sora. "You will study this scene tonight and be ready for practice tomorrow. I expect you to prepare for performing with me accordingly. If you can not produce a performance to please the audience, then you will step down from this role, no matter how close we are to the opening date." With that, she turned and left Sora and Kalos behind, Sora finding herself faced with the first thing that motivated her since her mother had gotten sick.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

"I told you, you are meant for the stage. No matter how many times you disagree with me, you are always proven wrong."

Sora glared at Fool and shook her head adamantly. "Fool, you're wrong. I don't want to be here. I'm only performing for the money."

"So why are you starring with Layla? That doesn't get you any extra money, does it?" Sora fumbled for an appropriate response, but when she couldn't find one, she just shook her head and rolled over on her bed so she wasn't looking at him.

"You're wrong, Fool."

He landed on top of her head and said, "Say whatever you like... you know what works good when you puzzled over something? A shower."

"Fool!"

"Come on, Sora, start taking off your clothes. There's no one here except me and you, and- okay, okay, I'm sorry!" he cried as Sora grabbed him by the hair and trapped him in a drawer.

Ignoring the tiny thumps and shouts as Fool tried to escape, Sora thought about what he had said.

Even Layla couldn't see him. How was Sora chosen for the stage if Layla wasn't? Layla was amazing at performing, and she loved it. Sora was amateurish, at best, and hated it. Why could she see Fool? She couldn't be chosen for the stage!

... right?

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

This was basically a scene where Layla performed her famous Golden Phoenix, except Sora caught her instead of Yuri. Sora hadn't even read the rest of the script so she wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but, apparently, her character had been ordered by someone else to deceive Layla's character. When Layla and Sora saw Yuri, Sora was supposed to run from them.

The scene really wasn't that difficult. Sora had done many street performances more taxing than this, and she was on a trapeze, which she liked the most- less disorientation than the trampoline and it was easier for her to pick up, since she didn't already have those 'bad habits' one it her coach kept claiming she had for the trampoline.

But Layla was still demanding. Swing slower here, spin faster here, do this, do that... eventually, it got to be too much and Sora asked her what the point was- these things were so small it wasn't like anybody would notice.

Layla just shook her head and said, "I told Kalos this. Someone who is still saying things like that has a long way before they appear on stage."

Sora just didn't get it. When she had been a street performer, her customers had always been satisfied with imperfect routines and shows, though she herself hadn't been pleased with them. What was the difference here?

"Pull me up, Sora! Don't let me pull myself up- you're supposed to be catching me, not just a bystander!" Sora rolled her eyes and groaned as her tired muscles resisted as she struggled to pull the taller woman up onto the trapeze.

"What's the point? It's not like the audience will remember such a tiny thing," she said sourly.

Layla just glared at her before Sora jumped away, following the script. "Faster!" Layla shouted after her, "faster! You're supposed to be running from me, right now you look you're having fun!"

_Having fun? What! NO! I'm supposed to hate this! _Layla's words angered her, which gave her an extra burst of energy and she jumped away furiously, shouting over her shoulder, "That better?"

Layla just chuckled and shook her head slightly. Sora may be able to pull it together in time for the show.

They practiced for hours, and by the time Yuri had arrived to play his small role in this scene, Sora had given in and let Layla do things her way, even though it was more difficult. And when the other newcomers came and watched their final run-through for they day and started cheering and smiling, Sora wasn't sure why, but it made her smile too.

Layla caught Sora smiling widely as the others applauded her practice- she was practically glowing. Maybe she was starting to see that their job was to make the audience smile, and not just throw together and unsatisfactory performance to just barely scrape by. Maybe she would make a worthy partner, with time.

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Thousands of miles away from Kaleido Stage, a silver haired beast swung across on the trapeze, staring at the one across from him. It wasn't moving.

It hadn't moved for over a week now. His sister had been dead for that long, and that wasn't going to change.

Just because they had been training for the famed Angel's Act. But they'd made a mistake. Leon hadn't realized he'd pushed his sister too far. She had been training all day and hadn't told him that she was sick. It had been over a hundred degrees outside and both Sophie and Leon had pushed themselves too far, but Sophie was younger than him, and, because she was female, not as physically capable. That, combined with her cold... she'd gotten heatstroke. They were too away from any villages and by the time she'd gotten to a hospital, it had been too late.

He wasn't going to let his sister die in vain. It was his fault she was dead, Leon knew that, but Sophie... she would of wanted him to perfect this maneuver, at all costs. He had to do it, for her. His sister's death had to mean something. If anything, this motivated him more.

In Leon's vision, blurred with tears, he saw Sophie beckoning to him from the trapeze across from him. "_Sophie!_" he shouted, immediately jumping forward, reaching out to her, only to grab empty air.

As he hit the safety net, Leon shook his head and immediately jumped to the ground, storming from the practice room. He'd been in France for over a week, for Sophie's funeral. It was time for him to go back to the England and perfect the Angel's Act, no matter what. Sophie had wanted to see people smile and cry in amazement when they her and Leon perform it together, so that's what he would get, for her.

A golden light started to shine in front of him, materializing to create a tiny, floating doll. Leon shouted in alarm and pulled back as the doll twirled and said with lavish hand gestures, "I am Fool, Spirit of the Stage. Can you finally see me now?"

"What the- what the hell? Okay, I've lost my mind, is that it? I have to have lost my mind."

Fool groaned as Leon reached hesitantly up to poke the flying creature. "Everyone thinks I'm not real. Your sister could see me; it's about time you were able to!"

"You- _you_ were that _thing_ she always told me about?"

Fool nodded and wriggled out of his grip. "Yes, I am, and I would prefer you not to call me a _thing_. That aside, though- now that you can finally see me, you can pull off the Angel's Act. All you need is a suitable partner."

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	6. Chapter 6

Sorry I couldn't update, my internet was out. And lurkers- REVIEW! Anyways, yes, yes, yes, I steal Kaleido Star's performance of Arabian Nights in this chapter. Come on, do you really think I could come up with something as awesome as sword fighting on moving tightropes above a fire? Shit... I'd be too scared to even go near that.

**Chapter 6**

Sora wasn't sure what was going on. Here she was, after the performance, waving to the audience with the other performers on stage, and they were all cheering... and she was actually _happy_. Her smile wasn't actually forced; in fact, she couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't stop shaking- what was this? Her performances on the street never made her feel like this- in fact, she wasn't even supposed to enjoy performing.

But this was the happiest she had been ever since her mother had gotten sick- even before then. Sora couldn't ever remember being like this.

After they walked off stage, Layla, before she walked off with Yuri, turned to Sora and said, "That was better. Don't get cocky because you performed in a show, but it wasn't bad."

Anna and Mia, who had been waiting for her, surrounded her and started gushing over how amazing it looked to star with Layla, but Sora, no matter how ecstatic she still was, knew she had to get down to the restaurant. Her pay from performing in a show wasn't enough. Her mother was still sick and they were nowhere near ready to pay for the surgery.

As soon as she could, Sora managed to escape her friends by losing them in a crowd of the other performers. The show had ended a little later than expected and she'd have to hurry if she wanted to be in time for work. But on her way there, instead of jogging down the street with a determined frown, she still couldn't stop smiling and even laughed a couple times. She had never been like this before. Was Fool right? Was she meant for the stage?

Sora scoffed and shook her head and just continued running. He wasn't right. Once she'd earned enough money, she could go home and all these ridiculous delusions would end.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

"Hello, my name is Sora, and I will be... oh, no."

Sora hadn't been looking, and one of the tables she was waitressing... Layla and Yuri. _Layla _and_ Yuri._

Why did these things always have to happen to her?

"Sora!" Layla exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" Sora smiled weakly and fumbled for an excuse clumsily, unable to come up with anything. "Wait- this is the job I told you to quit. What are you doing here?"

Sora bit her lip, looking between Layla and Yuri and searching for a way to get out of this. When she didn't answer, though, Layla said coldly, "Sora, I thought I told you that Kaleido Stars don't have time to practice and maintain other jobs. _Especially_ now that you have a part in the show- what were you thinking?"

"Exactly what I was wondering," Yuri said softly. "Why would you get a second job? What purpose does that serve? It's not like you need the money; Kaleido Stage pays you well enough."

Sora glared at him and was about to respond when Layla stood up and exclaimed, "Sora! Why are you here? I told you to quit this job. Don't think that just because you performed in a show with me that you are above everyone else. I could have you fired in a heartbeat, and it really wouldn't matter to me if you were gone."

"I... I'm sorry," she forced herself to say, refusing to look either Yuri or, especially Layla, in the eye. "I'll quit right away." Then she turned and ran from the restaurant as fast as she could, furiously wiping at her tears.

She didn't care what Layla said. Just because she'd gotten a pay increase didn't mean she was earning enough money yet to get her mother healthy. Sora was just going to get another job at a cheaper restaurant, one Layla wouldn't go to- it wouldn't pay as well, but it would still help. Anything would help.

Her previous happiness long gone, Sora continued to run through the dark streets. It wasn't too late, but she had managed to get herself into a part of town that wasn't heavily populated, if such a thing was possible in LA. It was when she was finally slowing down to a slow job that Sora realized she had no idea where she was or, more importantly, how to get back to Kaleido Stage from here.

She was just about to resign herself to the fact that she was completely and utterly lost and allow herself to get nervous when a police car pulled up beside her, it's window rolled down to reveal a thickly muscled black police officer wearing sunglasses. "Miss!" he called to her. "Little late to be out wondering this part of town alone, don't you think?"

Sora smiled slightly at him and said, "Sorry, I just got a little lost. Can you give me directions back to Kaleido Stage?"

The cop opened the passenger door for her and said, "Kaleido Stage? Well, I'll do you one better. Hop in; I'll give you a ride. My name's Jerry, by the way."

She hesitated, then got in the car and said, "Thank you. And I'm Sora."

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

"Hey, Dad, it's Sora."

"Sora! It's good to hear from you. How are things?"

Sora sighed and said quietly into the phone, "Well, pretty good. I was a performer in the last show we put on, so that got us a little extra money. But the bad news is that my boss saw me working at the restaurant and threatened to fire me if I didn't quit my job as a waitress. I quit but I'm going to get another job tomorrow, just at a place that isn't as high class... it won't pay as much as before, but my bonus from the performance should more than make up the difference."

Her father sighed in understanding before saying, "That's fine, Sora. More than fine. The way things are, we can afford the surgery in a year. And who knows, if you keep getting better at this performing stuff, maybe they'll pay you more and she'll get better even sooner."

"Yeah, I know... I'm practicing everyday."

"Don't push yourself too hard."

Sora laughed hollowly, remembering the times when following that request had been so easy. Now she pushed herself too hard everyday to save her mother... but she could handle it. Sure, she was sore or tired at times, but that was nothing compared to what her mother was going through. "Yeah," she said anyway. "Yeah, I won't. Hey, are you with Mom right now? I haven't talked to her in a couple days..."

"Oh, yeah, I am. She's feeling a lot better, though she's worried about you... all right, Midori is telling me to stop talking about her and to just give her the phone, so, here she is."

Sora chuckled and shook her head, smiling slightly. That was her mother, all right. She held her breath, waiting to hear her voice, always wanting to make sure she was okay. "Sora?"

"Mom!"

"Hi, Sora!" As expected, her mother's voice was soft and weak, but hearing that was better than normal- her father telling her that her mother was too sick to talk, or that the doctors weren't letting him see her, which had become normal ever since she had left for America. "How are you?"

"Oh, wonderful. I had a part in the last show Kaleido Stage did; that was nice. They paid me more, which means I'll get to home sooner and you'll get better faster. How are things with you?"

Her mother laughed, then coughed. "Well, you know. The same as when you were here, except worse, because I miss you... Sora, you didn't have to go so far away just to try to earn enough money to get the surgery. We would of come up with something-"

"Mom, stop it. This is all we ever talk about now- I'm already here and this will get you better faster. Yes, I miss you, and Dad, but... this was the only way. And before you know it, I'll be back home again and you'll be out of the hospital and everything will be fine."

Her mother was about to reply when there was the muffled sound of someone talking, then an exaggerated sigh before her mother said, "Sorry, Sora. I have to go. The doctor wants to run some test or something- you know, the usual. I love you. Stay safe."

"Yeah... yeah, you too," Sora said sadly, waiting for her mother to hang up before tossing the phone against the wall with a groan. She felt terrible. Her mother hadn't been this sick before; it had to be because she was in America, so far away from her family and working two jobs to support them.

Sora hated that there was no way she could make everything better, that it had to be this hard. It wasn't fair, but... life wasn't fair, then, was it?

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALIEDO STAR

The production ran for two weeks, each performance going better than the last. By it's end, while Layla was still cold and cruel towards her, she had begun to let up, if only slightly. Their practices didn't run for as long and Layla seemed mildly pleased with the results- which, of course, thrilled Anna and Mia to no end. They were always asking what it was liking with the great Layla Hamilton and Yuri Killian, and Sora often had to resist the urge to shout at them, to say that just because some was rich and had good looks, that didn't mean they were special. Sure, Layla and Yuri were talented on the stage, but what did that amount to, really? Although, Sora couldn't deny that she was at least a little awestruck by how graceful and powerful Layla was when she performed with her. But still... that meant nothing. She did _not_ admire this woman. She couldn't.

Sora was still working at her new job at the new restaurant, but she could only manage to put in about an hour at night, because she had to available for Layla to practice with during the day and they had performances during the evening. It was the hardest she'd ever worked, but she was still happy.

Or she was, until Kalos called both her and Layla to where Jean and the others were setting up a scene for their next production.

Layla was there because she would be performing in the next production, that much was obvious. But why was Sora supposed to come? Kalos had made it seem like her scene with Layla was a one time thing, until she got better at performing.

Anna and Mia came with her, staying several feet behind her as she walked into the room, right behind Layla. Kalos was already waiting for them, as was one of the backstage guys and Jean. Kalos looked over his shoulder and beckoned them both forward before gesturing to Jean. He smiled at them and started to explain what was going on. "Layla, I think you will like this." He gestured at the scene they had put together which, to Sora, really just looked like the frame of a ship. "Tightrope walking on moving tightropes." He gestured at one of his crew, who pushed a button and the ship which Sora had thought was stationary began to move back and forth, like on of those carnival rides. Everybody gasped, following the ship's movement in shock, except for Sora and Layla. Sora was surprised but not really impressed. Layla, on the other hand... her eyes lit up as she stared eagerly at the ship, seemingly aching to try it out. She hurried over to the ship and they stopped the movement, just long enough for her to climb on the tightropes. When she was on the ship, it began moving again, and even Sora stared in amazement as Layla struggled to adjust. She managed to walk a few steps and do a few jumps- far more than Sora would of been able to do- before she slipped and fell towards the safety net.

"You like this, Layla?" Kalos called out to her. She sat up immediately and jumped to the ground, nodding quickly.

"Of course. What are we using it for?" she asked eagerly, her eyes shining- the prospect of this new challenge had her practically glowing.

"A fight scene in our next production. You will be sword fighting on top of it, with a fire below you. Real flames, of course, so you can't fall." Sora flinched, turning to stare at him in shock, but it seemed he wasn't kidding.

_Real flames? But... that means if you fall... oh my god, what is he thinking? _But Layla wasn't deterred far from it. She smiled slightly and said, "I love it. I'll start practicing with Yuri right away."

Layla turned to leave, but Kalos stopped her. "Wait, Layla. Yuri has a different role in this production. You will be performing the climax scene with Sora."

This time, Layla and Sora weren't immune to the shock that spread throughout the room. "_What?_" Sora cried, looking from the ship to Kalos and back again. "No!"

"Kalos!" Layla shouted. "What are you thinking? Her minor success in our last production was nothing special! You are asking a mere amateur to star with me- and in a scene this dangerous? Rewrite the script so I fight with Yuri."

Kalos shrugged before turning to Sora and asking her, "Will you accept the role? If not, say so now, so Yuri can prepare for the scene in time."

Sora hesitated, looking back at the ship again. Even Layla had fallen off it. Sora couldn't deny that, if nothing else, Layla's talent on the stage was unmatched. Sora knew she was nowhere near the woman's level of skill- and this scene was dangerous. It could cause death.

But the challenge of it did sound wonderful, she had to admit. And the prospect of performing that scene with Layla... "I- I'll do it. I'll try to perform it with Layla."

There was another collective gasp throughout the room, and Layla turned to glare at her before shaking her head and saying, "If you're going to prepare for it with that half-baked attitude, you'd best not waste my time at all. Kalos, rewrite the script so Yuri can perform it with me."

Layla turned to walk away, but Sora shouted, "No! I said I would try it with you, and I will. Give me a chance, Layla."

Layla stared at her for a moment before smiling slightly, seemingly satisfied in something she saw in Sora before nodding. "Better. Kalos- test us both. This scene is too dangerous for you to simply trust me to perfect it as you usually do. Test us both."

Kalos nodded. "Very well. In three day's, be prepared to perform on the tightrope separately. If all goes well, begin rehearsal together." He left, then, leaving a stunned crowd watching Sora and Layla, who both took the first step towards the ship.

Please review


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for all the reviews- by the way, every single thing you guys asked for, I already had it written in! …for chapter 8. So, look out for the next update. And sorry I didn't update sooner, busy busy busy.

**Chapter 7**

Sora sighed as she walked towards the practice room early in the morning. She and Layla would switch off practicing on the set during the three days leading up to the test, and she had the first shift this morning. Some kid named Ken was going to be her coach for the tightrope walking, since she'd never actually had any experience with that before. Anna and Mia were obsessing over her decision to take this on, saying that it wasn't a good idea- the scene was dangerous, and even Layla had fallen. What chance did she stand?

Fool, who was following her to practice, said, "Well, why did you decide to do this? You keep claiming you hate performing, after all."

Sora glared at him, then smiled eagerly as an idea popped into her head and exclaimed, "The pay increase! I remember reading starring in a successful, long-run performance with Kaleido Stage could earn you a bonus of one hundred thousand. That's more than enough to-"

"Uhuh, yes, I'm sure that's it. Why didn't you call your parents last night, then? Seems like a worthy enough thing to tell them."

Sora blinked, momentarily caught off guard. It was true, she had only just thought of the wonderful, life-saving pay increase- why had she accepted the job yesterday?

But that didn't matter. All she had to do was perform in the show and then her mother would be all right and she could go home. Everything would be perfect again.

Well, it seemed that simple. But, several hours later, after her practice with Ken was over and it was time to switch with Layla, it didn't seem that simple anymore.

Three hours. That's how long she had practiced on the tightrope. Never mind sword fighting on it, or the flames- she couldn't even stay upright if it was in motion. Layla had at least lasted about a minute... on her _first_ try... Sora fell after several seconds every time Ken set the ship in motion. Most of the time, she couldn't even stay up for too long if it was even stationary, and the test was in three days. She may be good at performing, but she couldn't improve that quickly.

Yet she had to. Her mother would get better in a year, the way things were going now, and then they would still have medical bills to pay off. The check for this show would cover everything, and even leave a little left over. She had to do this.

"Sora," Ken said as they walked away from the practice room, "come on. We have another tightrope on the stage for you to practice on, to work on the basics. I think, the way things are going now, we can start working on the script sometime tomorrow."

Sora stiffened and turned to stare at him in shock. "I- I- what? Were we looking at the same attempts at tightrope walking back there? I can't start working on the script that soon!"

Ken shrugged helplessly. "Well, the test is in only three days, we don't have much time. But if we stay here until about ten tonight, then we could get some real progress done."

"Ten?" she gasped. It wasn't like that was late for her- normally, Sora was in the middle of her shift at the restaurant by that time. This meant that she wouldn't be able to work tonight.

Then again, did it matter? Her meager, minimum wage job wouldn't matter once she performed in the upcoming show. But Sora didn't want to quit yet- any money at all, after all, would help.

Well, the place was open all night- Sora could just call and switch with somebody who had a later shift for the next couple weeks. "Um, can I just make a quick phone call?" Sora asked quickly. "It's just that I had plans tonight, but now I have to cancel." Ken nodded and Sora smiled at him in thanks, ignoring the voice in her head telling her that this would mean less sleep, and if she was going to do this in three days, then she needed more sleep and not less. She was used to operating on little to no sleep; this wouldn't be a big deal. It was only for a couple weeks; she could hold out that long.

The next three days were spent struggling to learn the impossible routine on the tightrope that would be so much harder when she was practicing with Layla and real flames were beneath her and, of course, at the restaurant. She'd normally get there about eleven and work until four, but since people rarely came in so late, Sora could doze off quite often. Then she'd drag herself back over to Kaleido Stage and grab a couple hours sleep before it was back to practice with Ken. Anna and Mia believed she was just getting home late from training; Sora had never told them how late she really arrived every day or even tried to mention her second job. There was no point in telling them why she was here- that, once this performance with Layla was over, she would have to leave.

On the plus side, when she was getting so little sleep, as Sora had learned this past year, it was easier for her to perform, to think, to function. The severe lack of sleep meant if she sat idle for ten, twenty minutes, she be off in a dream world in moments, but physical activity like tightrope walking kept her up and going and she was running on adrenaline most, if not all, of the time- she moved quicker, mastered moves easier, and everything grew simpler. Of course, Sora knew that it wasn't all good- she was prone to random slip-ups, where she would forget how to do something as simple as balancing on the tightrope and she would fall... but it wasn't that bad. At least, she hoped.

Finally, the day of the test came. The test to whether she was good enough to get her mother better _now_ instead of a year from now. Layla went first, and Sora immediately knew that no matter how much she practiced, how well she prepared, she could never perform like this.

After three days of practice, Layla had absolutely mastered the routine. She jumped and danced over the moving tightrope with the same grace and elegance she had on the trapeze, which would undoubtedly make Sora's upcoming performance look like a cheap amateur struggling to keep up with the star... which is exactly what it was. Sora found herself on the edge of her seat, watching with bated breath- later, she would reflect on how she hated it. How she hated the fact that this woman that was supposed to disgust her still held the ability to shock and amaze her- but she wasn't thinking about that now. Sora was too focused on Layla's performance.

When the blonde star finally ended her routine and the tightropes stopped moving, there was no doubt in the room that at least one of them had passed the audition. Kalos and one of Kaleido Stage's main investors, Mr. Kenneth, as well as Sarah and Ken, didn't seem too surprised. Anna and Mia, who had tagged along to watch the audition, never ceased to be amazed by Layla's impeccable performances. Sora swallowed nervously as she walked towards the set, trying to handle her nerves. This audition was everything. She had to be seen as worthy to be the picture of perfection's partner or her mother wouldn't get better.

She had done things harder than this. Teaching herself how to perform on the street for money, working three jobs and school at once, and now, working at Kaleido Stage all day and the restaurant all night- this was just one little audition. She could do this. She had to.

Sora climbed onto the tightrope and Jean hit the button that started the ship's motion. She had rehearsed this all day yesterday. That's all this was, just a rehearsal... except, this time, she had to get it perfect.

Sora started the routine and, while it definitely wasn't anywhere near Layla's caliber and skill, it was good. Not good enough to satisfy Sora, but she couldn't go back and fix any mistakes or smooth things out, not this time.

Everything was going perfect- this was the best she had ever performed it... and now it was time for the ace hidden up her sleeve.

Yesterday, one consistent mistake Ken had pointed out to Sora was that she jumped too high during the climax. Despite Sora's best attempts to correct it, she had jumped too high every time, which caused her to bounce when she hit the rope again, and she would always end up in the safety net. So, she came up with a solution- using the diabolo to allow her to drop down below the rope and toss herself back up. It both looked impressive and actually made things a little easier for her, as long as she didn't miss with the diabolo.

There was a collective gasp throughout the room when Sora missed the rope entirely, not even trying to land on it, and even Layla was shocked when Sora was caught by the diabolo and she flew down the tightrope, using it like a zip line, before tossing herself up for the finish.

Panting for breath, Sora looked between Layla and Kalos eagerly, hoping to see approval. Kalos stood up and looked down at Layla, who had regained her composure and was even smiling slightly. "You have two weeks, Sora, Layla. Get this scene ready for the production by then."

A slow, amazed smile began to spread across her lips as Sora stared at Kalos's retreating form. She couldn't believe it. After just over five months at Kaleido Stage, she was going to star in a show and her mother was going to get better. She had somehow managed to pull off the impossible and her mother was going to be healthy again.

Sora was just about to jump for joy when Layla called out to her. "Sora! While that was impressive for someone with your experience, it could be improved. When I am working with my other scenes for this production, you will be trying to improve what you just showed me."

Normally, Sora would have been annoyed be that, but now? Now, when her mother was going to get better and she was being given the chance of a lifetime- to star with Layla in this, the most challenging and dangerous of scenes- how could things possibly get any better?

**KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR**

Well, if things couldn't get any better, they could get worse. Sora didn't even have time to call her parents, she was so exhausted. Practice from seven in the morning to ten at night- practice where she spent hour after hour struggling to keep up with Layla, who was so far ahead of her in terms of skill and experience that Sora was sure she looked as uncoordinated as a duck.

_Enough__side__affect__of__sleep__deprivation__is__bad__similes,__it__seems._

After practice, she would head over to work at the restaurant until three or sometimes four in the morning. Every day, she would promise herself that tonight, she would finally call her parents and tell them what was going on, yet she would still end up stumbling to bed early the next morning, barely able to keep her eyes open, much less dial a phone and go through with that conversation.

Sora gasped as Layla's foam sword hit her in the side and she tumbled off the tightrope, into the safety net... again. "Focus!" Layla shouted down to her as Sora groaned and struggled to get back up. "What were you thinking about just now? You have to be focused on me! This is a real fight between us; concentrate!"

"Sorry," she muttered, more to herself than to Layla as she made her way back to her, struggling for each breath. And when they began the scene again, Sora made sure to focus on their fight and not her current situation.

Things were going well, as usual. Difficult, but doable. But when they reached the point where Sora jumped over Layla and met her sword in mid-air while upside down... well, just thinking about it was hard. Pulling it off was more or less impossible- every single time, Sora would miss the rope when she was coming back down from the flip, if she even made it that far.

As she climbed back on to the contraption yet again, Sora asked, "Layla, can't we just edit the script so I catch the rope with my hand if I miss and pull myself back up? It wouldn't be perfect, but it'd be easier than this!"

Layla just stared at her, then said, "Sora, this is not even the most difficult part of the scene. If you can't do this, then you can't co-star with me at all. And I will not perform an imperfect scene for the audience- in fact, I don't understand why you would even be willing to, either."

"Look, we've been at this for over three hours, can we take a break already?" Sora didn't even wait for a response, just jumped back to the ground and headed towards the door.

"Sora! Why are you satisfied with this performance?" Layla shouted after her, jumping to the ground as well and following her. "This is full of nothing but mistakes! How can you show this to the audience?"

Sora really wasn't thinking. She was too tired to realize the consequences of her actions and just shouted the lie she had been telling herself all along, to convince herself that she hated Kaleido Stage and performing. "I don't care about the audience!" she shouted as she whirled around to face Layla. "All I care about is the money!"

Shock flashed across Layla's face for a moment before she turned icy and shook her head in cold disappointment. "Money? That's what you want, Sora? That's why you're here? Then you're fired. Go on, get out here. I don't want to see the likes of you at Kaleido Stage ever again. I knew it was a bad idea to hire you in the first place."

_Oh__no.__No,__no,__no.__This__can't__be__happening,__it__can't__be._ "No!" Sora gasped, pleading with her. "No, please, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, please don't fire me! Please let me star with you, then I'll leave and never bother again, I promise, just please don't-"

"If it's money you want, it's money you'll get. Come to Kaleido Stage tomorrow morning and I'll give you a check equivalent to your salary for starring with me. In return, you will leave this place and go home. Never come back."

For some reason, the idea of agreeing to this made her physically sick. But that didn't matter, because this wasn't about her. It was about her mother, and what Layla was offering...

"Oh, thank you, Layla!" Sora gasped, ecstatic, a broad, excited smile pulling at her lips. "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me, I-"

"You shouldn't be thanking me, Sora," Layla said coolly as she turned on her heel and left, slamming the door behind her.

Sora stared after her, knowing she should be happy, and yet... she wasn't. Yes, she was glad that he mother was going to be fine, but... that meant she would have to leave Kaleido Stage.

And that wasn't what she wanted.

Sora ran. She just started running, as fast as she could, going in no general direction, just trying to run away from what she had just realized. She started to cry as she dashed through the hallways, and now she was running faster, trying to focus on her quick, shallow breaths and her pounding feet, to focus on anything besides the fact that, tomorrow, she would never be allowed to perform here again.

Sora had no idea how long she had been running for, but she finally came to a stop in front of... the trapeze practice room? What was she doing here? She hated this room!

But then, when Sora looked up and caught sight of the trapeze, just waiting for her to grab on and swing and jump and spin through the room... suddenly Sora found herself frantically climbing towards it, still gasping for breath, still crying, her hands aching to grab it so she could perform again and forget about all of this. Finally, _finally_, Sora jumped for it, reaching for that bar that could always make her smile.

Not this time. With an angry shout, Sora swung across the room, pouring her fury into her movements as she practiced and practiced, flying quick and fast through the air. But her moves weren't elegant or graceful like Layla's; they were inspired by anger and were sloppy, too fast and too furious to create something as amazing as Layla's performances- but as she poured

everything into her routine, she stopped crying, her confusing sadness replaced by a cold-hearted fury. Finally, she ended up just hanging limply in the air, her hands blistered and bleeding, her entire body sore and bruised, breathing heavily in the silence and struggling to understand why she was feeling like this.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked aloud, into the darkness. "I should want this! I should be happy that my mother's going to get better!"

"Maybe that's not what you want."

"Fool!" she gasped, looking above her to see that Fool had been watching her along. "What-

what are you talking about? Of course I want her to get better, Fool, how could you say that?"

"I'm not talking about your mother," he said, floating down to her eye-level. "I'm talking about performing. I've told you all along that you were meant for the stage, and now that Layla's taken away your chance to perform- well, I think you see what I mean."

She did. She did know what he meant.

Now she understood just how and why she had been wrong. Layla wasn't one of those rich celebrities who cared about nothing but themselves- she wanted to perform to make the audience happy, to hear their applause and know she had made them smile. No matter what Sora told herself, she did, too. Even back when she'd been a street performer, she had loved to see passerby's smile as they watched her jump and spin. And Kaleido Stage allowed her to do that even more. She didn't want to give this up! She couldn't.

When she stared up at Fool with eyes that were slowly filling with tears, he nodded and said, "It seems my little stubborn star has figured it out... too late, though."

"No!" she shouted at him desperately. "No! No, I can still see you! That means I can convince Layla to let me perform again- I have to!"

"I've already told your future. That's not possible, Sora."

Sora glared at him before letting go of the trapeze as she called back to him, "You've told me that before! That what you've always said, you use your stupid Tarot cards and say that you see failure in my future, yet I always succeeded! And this time, I have to succeed! The future can be changed- you're the one who told me that, Fool!" Sora ran for the door, intent on only one thing- finding Layla and begging her for a second chance.

Please review


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Layla-san!"

Layla heard the familiar voice and stopped her practice with Yuri abruptly, lowering the foam sword and turning to glare at the newcomer who dared to interrupt her practice.

"You!" she called, jumping down to the floor and approaching her. "What are you doing here? Come back tomorrow morning and you'll get your check."

Sora bowed slightly and exclaimed, "Please, Layla-san, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, you were right and I was wrong- please give me a second chance! Please! I'm not doing this for the money, I really do love performing- please, don't make me go home, I'm so sorry, you were right and I promise I'll work harder and-"

"No. I'm not giving you a second chance. Go home, Sora."

Sora stared at the woman after her cold declaration, then cried, "No! I won't! I will perform with you again, you can't stop me! I'm ready! Watch!" She ran forward, grabbing the foam sword from Layla's hand and climbing up the ship, managing to jump on it while it was still moving and

turning to Yuri who was staring at her in surprise. Sora began her routine with Layla, except using Yuri, who reciprocated but was watching her warily. "See!" she shouted to Layla, struggling to keep up with Yuri, who was used to Layla and was moving much faster than she expected. "I can do this! Please let me perform again!"

"Sora!" Layla shouted at her. "Stop this!" She said more, but Sora couldn't hear her. Exhaustion swept over her, physical and mental, her body unable to keep up with the stress it'd been under for so long. Now, she was trying to force herself to keep up with someone who was simply moving too fast for her. She couldn't do it. Sora's mind shut down as she jumped sluggishly, and because she was passing out, she couldn't avoid Yuri's sword as it hit her in mid-air. Sora fell into unconsciousness as she dropped to the floor, and Layla shouted in alarm when she saw that, at her current angle, she would miss the safety net and collide with the wooden floor twenty feet below.

"Sora!" Layla cried, running forward and catching the young girl moments before she hit the ground, probably saving her from a concussion and a few broken bones- but that still left them with Sora unconscious without any apparent reason why. "Yuri!" she called, laying Sora gingerly on the ground and looking her over in frantic worry. "Get down here, now!"

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

Sora sighed, forcing her eyes open to stare at the familiar surroundings of a hospital room. She had been in one plenty of times over in Japan- except this time, she was the patient.

She remembered Layla firing her. She remembered realizing that she didn't want to go home, she wanted to stay here, at Kaleido Stage, and perform with Layla again. And then she tried to convince Layla to change her mind... she'd tried to perform with Yuri, and...

Groaning softly, she turned her head to the side, gasping when she saw she had a visitor. "Layla-san!" Sora exclaimed, immediately sitting upright. "What- what are you doing here?"

Layla looked up in surprise from her spot by the wall, then smiled slightly and walked closer to her. "I, uh... I thought I would stop by, see how you were. Do you remember what happened?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah, I... I know I was trying to perform with Yuri-san, to change your mind, but then I...

"Yes, you passed out. The doctor said it was from exhaustion, and that you're also suffering from malnutrition... also, while you were asleep, your boss at the restaurant called. He wanted to know if you could cover an extra shift." Layla's statement was a gentle admonishment, and Sora closed her eyes and looked away in embarrassment. "And, because it was performing that put you in the hospital, Kalos had to contact your family. Your father told us everything."

"Oh, no," Sora mumbled under her breath. Everything was coming out, all at once, and she didn't know how to handle this. "So am I still fired?" she asked in a small voice without looking at the star.

However, Layla's quick response surprised her. "No. Not anymore, Sora."

Sora looked back at her in shock, not daring to believe it. "Wha- what- you mean it? I can perform with you again?"

Layla nodded slightly. "Yes, if what you said back there was really true."

"I... thank you, Layla-san! Thank you! But... what made you change your mind? I thought that you would never let me perform with you again..."

Layla walked away, sitting down in the chair again and staring at her knees. "You're right. But... well, I understand why you were... well, for lack of a better word, such a bitch beforehand. I went through something similar, and-"

"No!" Sora shouted, immediately going from docile to furious again, glaring at Layla and shaking her head. She was sick and tired of people giving her those sympathetic looks, those pitying smile, and that oh so typical line, 'I know what you're going through'. No, they didn't, and to pretend that they did was an insult to people like Sora, who actually had their lost their parents or were really going through the possibly of their mother dying. "No, you people have no idea what's it like! How could you? What, you compare it to when your daddy took away your cell phone and you started crying and begging for it back, and there you go, you know what it's like? You _don__'__t_. You never can. Stop trying to pretend that you know-"

"Sora," Layla interrupted, looking up at her with a small smile that infuriated Sora even more, and she was about to start screaming when Layla continued. "Sora, I understand what you're trying to say because I actually did go through something similar. When I was seven, I... my mother, she... she had been in the hospital for awhile. I was so young- nobody told me what was really going on. They thought I wouldn't be able to handle it- the truth was, I couldn't. She had been sick for a year, and she would always tell me that she'd be coming home soon. And then she never would, and I would go back to the hospital and ask her why she'd lie and she just tell me that she was sorry. That kept happening, time and time again, over the year she was sick and I was... exceedingly selfish. Finally, I started screaming at her for never coming home and telling her I hated her. But after I went home, I heard two of the maids talking about her. They said she was dying and probably... probably wouldn't last much longer. I ran down to the hospital, but I was too late. She had already slipped into a coma and never heard me apologize."

Layla's voice broke and she looked away, sniffling slightly, hiding her face with a wave of golden hair. When she had composed herself, Layla stood up and looked back at Sora. "So, yes, Sora, I do know what it's like. I do know what drove you to work at Kaleido Stage as well as your second job, and why you accepted my pervious offer of money to go home- because you want to be with your mother. But there is no explanation for why you asked me for a second chance unless that's really what you want."

Sora stared at Layla, realizing just how wrong her perceptions of her had been these past several months. She'd thought they were completely different people when their pasts were so similar. "Layla-san... I'm so sorry. I didn't know- god, I know I have no right to ask you to let me perform with you again... but yes. That is what I want. More than anything. Please, I-"

"You don't have to ask twice, Sora," Layla said with a smile as she headed for the door. "Sora, when the doctor lets you go tomorrow, Yuri's going to pick you up. I'll be practicing, and you had best join me- we only have three weeks until the show."

Sora smiled broadly and looked down at her hands. "Thank you, Layla-san," she whispered.

Once Layla was gone, Sora allowed herself a moment to simply enjoy the fact that, for once, everything was going perfectly. This was, without a doubt, the best day of her life. Her mother was going to get better, and she had the chance to carry out the dream she'd never realized she had. Everything was falling into place...

Except there were two people who wouldn't be happy about this. And she had to tell them now- she owed it to them. With a shaking hand, Sora reached for the phone on the wall and started to dial a very familiar long distance number. When the exhausted voice of her father answered, Sora cleared her throat and said softly, "Hi, Dad. It's Sora."

"Sora!" he exclaimed. "Sora, what is going on? Your manager called and said you had gotten hurt- I was worried about this, you taking that unsafe job, performing so far away from home just to help earn money- Sora, we're going to find some other way to do it, you're coming home right now, I'm not-"

"Dad, wait. It's not what you think- I wasn't hurt performing. I was just 'overworking' myself- I'm fine, really. It's not a big deal... but that's not why I called. I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news is I'm starring in an upcoming show- the pay increase from that is enough for _everything_, Dad. The surgery, all the other medical bills, everything."

There was a stunned moment of silence, then her father gasped, "Sora, that's amazing! Thank you! And your mother is going to be so happy when I tell her, and when you come home, she'll-"

"Dad, that's the bad news. I... I'm not coming home. I'm staying at Kaleido Stage."

She held her breath through the, this time awful silence, then he shouted, "_What?_ You're not staying in America! Is it that manager who called me? Is he making you stay in America? I'm going to-"

"Wait! It's not like that, Dad, I _want_ to stay here! I want to stay at Kaleido Stage. This is my choice."

When her dad replied again, his voice was deadly quiet, a warning sign for how furious he was. "What do you mean, 'this is your _choice?_' I thought you hated performing!"

"I did, I did, but not anymore. Please, Dad. I know you want me to come home, but I want to stay here. Please! It's all I know how to do now; I've been here for almost six months and I love it. And I'm getting the chance to star with the woman who is the only reason I found out about Kaleido Stage in the first place, she's-"

"Layla Hamilton? The celebrity from the magazine? Sora, you _hated_ her!"

"I know I did, but things are different now, and I-"

"Sora, you're not staying in America! You promised you would come home!"

"I know," she sobbed, crying at her father's obvious anger and disappointment. "I know, and I'm so sorry. But I have to stay here. Please, Dad. I'm happy here, and I want to stay at Kaleido Stage. I know that you and Mom want me to come home and I'm so sorry, but I-"

"This discussion is not over, Sora- this isn't even a discussion! You're coming home as soon as you get that paycheck for your mother! You can't stay in America!"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Sora, cried softly, defeated. "I'm not coming home. I would really like you and Mom to come see me perform when she's well enough to travel, but I'll understand if you don't want to. Goodbye, Dad. I love you." She hung up the phone in the middle of his furious response and closed her eyes, struggling to regain her composure. She wanted to see her family and wanted to go home with them... but she also wanted to stay at Kaleido Stage and perform with Layla. This was the most amazing experience of her life; she didn't want it to end.

What on earth was she supposed to do?


	9. Chapter 9

**Important Author's note: I simply do not have time to write the sequel to this, nor do I have any idea how I want to start it out. I have decided to give the sequel to anyone who wants it and they can write their own- I did have a general plot outline, and if you want to use it, you can, just PM me for the details. Anyone can write the sequel, and if more than one person wants to test out their ideas, that's fine too. Please PM me before it's posted, as I'd like to see where this goes. Key note is that I simply can't write it. Any one of you can, however.**

**Chapter 9**

"All right," Layla panted, gesturing for Jean to stop the ship from moving. "Let's take a break."

Nodding thankfully, Sora slowly climbed to the ground, where her icy cold water bottle was waiting, wiping the sweat off her forehead. Despite the doctor's advice to take it easy, Sora had gotten to Kaleido Stage early this morning and began practice with Layla, who was watching her carefully to make sure she was well enough for this sort of strenuous activity.

"I'm fine, Layla-san," Sora assured her when she caught Layla watching her in concern again. "I'm tired because this is difficult... do you really think we can have this ready in three weeks?"

"Of course. We simply have to perfect it, we already have the general performance down... you've seem distracted today, Sora. I would have expected the opposite after what you told me yesterday."

Sora smiled at her and shook her head. "I know. It's not because I'm having second thoughts, it's... well, I called my dad to tell him what I was going to do. He..."

"Disapproved?" Layla supplied, smiling when Sora nodded in agreement. "You would do anything to make him happy, wouldn't you?" It wasn't a question; there was nothing Sora could say to that. Layla chuckled softly as she sat down next to Sora. "You and I are alike in more ways than one, Sora. My father disapproves of my decision to stay at Kaleido Stage as well. He thinks I can have so much more and, just like you, I try to make him happy... as well as carrying out my dream here. And yet, he still will not come see any of my shows here, not even one," she said bitterly, shaking her head.

"Really?" Sora asked sadly. "I hoped my parents would come see me perform here, but... I know that it wouldn't be easy. They'll always want me to come home, I know they will. And I don't want to be selfish and make them come if it would hurt them to see how happy I am here... well, I suppose I'm making a big deal out of nothing!" she said brightly, standing up and forcing herself to smile down at Layla. "I mean, Mom won't be well enough to travel for a while, so it's not like things could be different, even if they wanted to see me perform. Come on, let's practice some more, I'm okay."

Layla hesitated, then shook her head as she headed towards the door. "Actually, I have some stuff to take care of. I'll be back soon; in the meantime, keep practicing by yourself, especially the finale. That's still the most difficult part."

Sora stared after her in confusion before climbing back up to the ship, wondering what had caused Layla's sudden departure.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

Sora gazed apprehensively at the sky as the clouds grew darker and thicker, like it was about to rain, and the wind picked up. "Layla-san," she asked nervously, "why are we out here?"

"You'll see soon, Sora," Layla said simply before heading towards the man steering the boat and telling him something that Sora couldn't hear above the wind.

Tomorrow was the opening performance, yet she and Layla had yet to achieve a perfect run through. And falling during the performance tomorrow would be deadly. Yet, instead of practicing, Layla had brought her out onto this motorboat their last day of rehearsal, and the approaching storm had only seemed to please Layla. What was going on?

This question was answered for her when, after about twenty minutes of travel, they stopped the boat in the middle of the cape and Layla directed her attention to the contraption attached to the end of the boat.

It was a tightrope- something, Sora was ashamed to admit, she hadn't realized until now.

"Come on," Layla called her, jumping towards the tightrope and tossing Sora a foam sword. "We will be practicing here today. Will you need a lifeline? I won't be using one; it would hinder my movements.

Well, if Layla wasn't using one, neither was she. Sora shook her head and jumped out to stand across from Layla, watching her apprehensively. Layla smiled slightly, shaking her head. "Really? Well then. We fight. This is a real fight between us, Sora. Fight me- you know, you are starting to look like a real opponent." Layla smiled again, although, this time, there was more animosity behind the motion than friendship. And in the ever darkening sky, standing silhouetted by clouds and the beginnings of rain and holding the sword against her, Layla looked like her opponent, too.

They ran at each other, clashing swords as rain began to fall faster and harder, the waves going stronger and more unpredictable. Both Sora and Layla were almost thrown from the tightrope more than once and, on several occasions, ending up hanging inches above the thrashing sea after the roiling waves had nearly tossed them out to become shark bait.

They practiced for hours without taking any breaks, the crew of the boat watching in awe as they fought for the entire day without showing any signs of exhaustion. Finally, after the sun had already set behind dark clouds and they could hardly see each other at all, Layla shouted over the pouring rain for her to get back on the ship.

Later, as the two sat inside, wrapped in towels that did nothing to stop the shivers and dripping water everywhere, Sora asked slowly, "So... will we really be ready?"

"You tell me, Sora. Did we fall once today?"

Sora smiled slightly- Layla was right. Despite the weather conditions that should of tossed them into the sea dozens of times, she and Layla both had managed to stay on the tightrope for their entire practice- something they had yet to achieve on the easier set back at Kaleido Stage.

She looked over at Layla and shook her head. "No... no, we didn't. We're ready, then... I still wish my parents were coming to see, though."

Layla got a strange look in her eye then as she laughed quietly. "Don't think about that tomorrow, Sora," she advised. "Focus on performing with me then. Afterwards, let everything work itself out." Sora gazed up at her uncertainly- Layla had been acting rather weird lately. As had Yuri, whenever Sora had had the opportunity to be with him- but, then again, she didn't know either person very well. Maybe she was just overreacting.

KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR KALEIDO STAR

"Good luck, Sora!" Mia exclaimed as they walked towards the stage, Sora preparing for the life-or-death battle- literally.

"Yeah- don't fall!" Anna told her before Mia punched her in the arm.

"Anna! Don't tell her that! Sora, you'll be fine. Layla-san agreed to star with you, after all. If you couldn't do it she'd be performing with Yuri-san." Sora tried to smile, but, truthfully, she was scared to death. In ten seconds thousands of eyes would be on her as she performed with a world-famous star, and any single mistake she made could not only cause her death, but Layla's as well. Oh, god. Was she really ready for this? No, no, she wasn't she couldn't do this.

But it was too late to get cold feet. She had to do this- and not just for the audience, for Layla- her mother was depending on this performance. She couldn't back out now.

Sora smiled at her friends and ran for the stage, jumping onto the already moving ship to face across from Layla, managing to control her nerves for the time being- the flames hadn't started yet. They watched each other for a moment as if this was a real fight before they ran forward, swords raised.

They clashed together, the collective gasps of the audience driving them to fight harder. Sora poured everything she had into the fight, looking at Layla as if she were an enemy... the way she had felt when she'd first come to Kaleido Stage.

Sora and Layla jumped up together as the fire was set off below, the audience gasping in shock and horror, and they continued their fight. The two brushed past each other, so close they were almost touching, and Sora ducked under the blow she knew was coming and jumped over Layla's head. Sword met sword, the women panting for breath but caught up in the performance too much to care how dangerous it was.

Finally, time for the climax, the only part they had been unable to practice at sea yesterday. Layla jumped over the expanse of the tightrope, spinning towards her, and Sora jumped to avoid it, pulling out the diabolo. The crowd, just like those at the audition, was horrified when it seemed she had missed the tightrope, only to be caught by the diabolo as she flew down underneath Layla. _Yes!_The hardest part, the section she'd been both looking forward to and dreading... was over.

She had almost completely relaxed when she swung herself up to Layla's height again, coming down to land on the tightrope... and she missed.

She _missed._

Sora screamed as she fell down towards the flames, and that all she had, just one, short second and it was all over and-

"_Sora!_" Layla shouted as she threw herself down to catch her, grabbing onto the tightrope with one hand and snagging Sora's just before she fell out of reach. They hung there for a moment, Sora struggling to breathe, suspended above the blazing inferno below.

"Th... Thank you, Layla-san," she gasped, or maybe she merely thought it, everything was rushing around her and she couldn't hear anything- she could only see Layla's face, her hand grasping her own, her long blonde hair trailing down and tickling Sora's wrist. Layla's face betrayed her own shock as she pulled Sora and herself up, and this time, Sora made sure her feet were very firmly balanced on the tightrope, even as the flames were shut off.

"Thank you," she stammered again as the crowd cheered and Layla raised their joins hands up, waving and smiling at them like the professional she was.

Finally, when the ever elegant and graceful Layla led Sora off the stage, she stumbled forward, shaking violently. Layla allowed her concern to show on her face then as she turned to her and asked, "Are you all right, Sora?"

She nodded jerkily and gave her a weak smile. "Y-yes," she managed to say, still trembling. "I'm fine... Layla-san, you just... what you just did..."

"Don't worry about it," Layla assured her with a smile as the other performers hurried over to congratulate them.

"I just... this night, it can't get any better. Thank you so much. Not just for saving me, but... everything, about Kaleido Stage, about letting me perform with you, about-"

"Sora," Layla interrupted quietly and pointed over her shoulder. "Before you start thanking me, you might want to see who was here to watch your performance today."

Sora frowned in confusion, turning around to see what Layla was talking about- _oh__my__god._

Her parents were waiting for her, twin broad smiles on their faces as they watched her. Her mother was thinner and pale, brittle, thinning hair and sunken eyes and a weak smile, but she was alive. Her father's arm was around her small shoulders, and they both looked so different.

But they were her parents, and her mother was _alive._

"Mom! Dad!" she cried, dashing forward and throwing her arms around them. "Oh my god! What- how are you even- I thought you back in Japan!"

Her parents held onto her for a moment before they stepped back and her mother explained, "Well, we were, three weeks ago. That was when we got a call from some man named Kalos, informing us that he would be sending your paycheck over three weeks early. When your father tried to thank him..."

"He said that this wasn't his idea- that we should be thanking someone named Layla Hamilton," her father finished. Sora turned around and stared at Layla in shock, who was watching them with a tiny smile. Layla's eyes softened when she caught Sora looking at her and she nodded, as if to say that Sora didn't need to thank her.

Still in shock, she turned back around to face her parents, where her mother continued the story. "Haru had told me about your plans to stay here, and I wasn't happy about it, but when the doctors said I was well enough to travel yesterday... I decided to come see your performance. It was wonderful, Sora."

Her fahter nodded. "Yeah, it was. I'm still not happy about you having a job that's so dangerous, but..."

"The Sora we saw on that stage was different than the one back in Japan. She's happier, and we don't want to take this away from you," her mother said with a kind smile when her father trailed off. "Just, promise me you'll be safe, okay? No dangerous stunts?"

Sora looked between the two of them in amazement, unable to believe this. "You- you're serious? I can stay here? I can keep performing?" she gasped, and her parents nodded. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed as she hugged them again. "I love you both. Thank you."

"Well, Layla," Yuri said as he watched the family's reunion with her. "It seems you have a new partner."

Layla looked up at him in surprise. "A new partner? What about you?"

He shrugged easily. "I got an offer from someone looking to challenge the Angel's Act- a man named Leon Oswald. It sounds interesting."

Kalos, who had been listening, groaned and leaned back against the wall. "I'm losing my top male star to _Leon__Oswald?_ Oh, of course."

Yuri just smirked and continued. "Anyways, he's most interested in the Circus Festival. I'll be seeing you there, I trust?"

Layla nodded as she looked back over at Sora. "You and Leon Oswald versus me and Sora? Wouldn't miss it for the world."

**Please remember that author's note about the sequel- which doesn't apply to my Broken Stars sequel, by the way, I'm still writing that- and thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! **


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